The invention relates to a rotary controller for electrical or electronic apparatuses.
In systems having a plurality of electrical or electronic apparatuses, a single rotary controller is often provided nowadays for a large number of control functions for the individual apparatuses, in order to set parameters or to select between various options, corresponding to a respectively selected control function. If such rotary controllers can rotate freely in both directions, then visual feedback about the parameter or option, respectively, which has been set, is required both when setting parameters and when selecting predetermined options. In order in this case to give the user at least a sensation of the rotation of the rotating knob of the rotary controller, it is known for a multiplicity of slight latching clicks to be produced, which can be sensed on the rotating knob.
Furthermore, a control system for components in a motor vehicle is known (DE 196 08 869 C2), in which an operating means is assigned various control functions and types of tactile feedback. In order to set the tactile feedback, electromechanical and/or electromagnetic actuators are provided, using which it is possible to apply forces to the operating means. In order to indicate that the respective limit value has been reached, the operating means is prevented from being rotated further in the corresponding direction. Further rotation is made somewhat more difficult, in order to indicate a function mean value or latching points.
In the case of a known rotary controller (DE 42 05 875 A1), a rotating knob and an incremental transmitter are arranged on a common shaft, and are connected to a motor via a transmission system. In order to provide latching positions, the motor produces a resetting torque. If the resetting torque of a latching position is overcome, then the motor is actuated such that it provides the resetting torque for the next latching position. In order to provide sprung limit stops, the motor is actuated depending on the rotation position of the rotating knob such that it provides a suddenly increasing resetting torque on reaching the respective limits of setting range.
Furthermore, it is known from DE 36 05 088 C2 for a rotary controller to be assigned various control functions and for an electromagnetic brake to be provided in order to produce various tactile feedbacks, which electromagnetic brake uses a variable resistance to oppose the rotary movement of the rotary controller, and can also simulate latching positions.
In contrast to this, the invention is based on the object of providing a further rotary controller for electrical or electronic apparatuses which, in particular with a simple design, offers the user a reference position when selecting between various options or when setting parameters.
This object is achieved by the rotary controller according to claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are described in the dependent claims.
Thus, for a rotary controller having a rotating knob, the invention provides a controllable latching and locking device, by means of which the rotating knob can be locked selectively in order to provide a stop for the rotary movement of the rotating knob. In this case, it is particularly expedient for the latching and locking device to have at least one controllable catch arrangement, which interacts with corresponding latching means which are arranged such that they revolve circumferentially with respect to the rotary movement of the rotating knob.
This allows a reference position for the respective operating function of the rotating knob to be achieved in a particularly simple manner in terms of design, irrespective of the actual rotation position of the rotating knob.
An expedient refinement of the invention is distinguished by two catch arrangements being provided which each act in opposite rotation directions of the rotating knob.
In order to provide the user with one or more reference rotation positions and an improved sensation for the rotary movement in addition to the reference position which can be sensed with the aid of the stop, an advantageous development of the invention provides for each catch arrangement to be controllable such that spring forces of different magnitude can act on it to produce latching clicks which can be sensed with different intensities.
An advantageous development of the invention is distinguished by the latching means (which are arranged circumferentially with respect to the rotary movement of the rotating knob) of the latching and locking device being used as signal initiators for a sensor device for detecting a rotation position and/or a rotation direction of the rotating knob. This refinement of the invention has the advantage that the latching and locking device can be combined with the sensor device, resulting in a particularly compact design. Since the catch arrangement and the sensor device can be arranged offset on the circumference, this allows a particularly short axial physical length to be achieved, in particular. A light barrier arrangement, inductive or capacitive proximity sensors or proximity switches can be used, for example, as a sensor device for detecting the rotation position in this case. Conversely, it is also possible, in the case of a rotary controller which uses a toothed disc as the signal initiator for the sensor device, to use this toothed disc as the latching means for a latching and locking device.
A further simplification of the rotary controller according to the invention is provided if the catch arrangements are designed as rotation direction and rotation angle signal transmitters.
A particularly advantageous refinement of the invention provides that the latching and locking device can be controlled by a user interface in such a manner that each end of a setting or selection range can be sensed by an appropriate stop for the rotary movement, with the stop for the rotary movement being produced by blocking the rotating knob.
Another refinement of the invention is distinguished by the rotation range of the rotating knob being limited to correspond to a number of selection options for a desired control function, in which case each selection option is assigned a latching click for a desired control function, which latching click can be sensed and is produced by the latching and locking device during rotation of the rotating knob.
In this way, particularly if the desired control function consists of selecting between a small number of options, for example three or four options, the rotary controller can be handled like a simple selection switch, so that the user can operate the rotary controller according to the invention in the desired manner, even without a visual and/or audible feedback.